Cooling device

ABSTRACT

A cooling device is provided with a cooling unit that includes a cold plate extending in a first direction; a pump and a tank disposed on one side in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction of the cold plate; and a partition member extending in the first direction and covering the cold plate on one side in the second direction. The cold plate includes a first refrigerant flow path through which a refrigerant flows in the first direction. The pump includes a pump chamber where a rotating body is accommodated. The tank includes a tank chamber storing the refrigerant and a first tank hole part communicating with the pump chamber. The partition member, including a first hole part that communicates the first flow path and the tank chamber, is provided on one side in the first direction with respect to the first hole part.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the priority benefit of Japanese PatentApplication No. 2018-200320, filed on Oct. 24, 2018. The entirety of theabove-mentioned patent application is hereby incorporated by referenceherein and made a part of this specification.

BACKGROUND Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to a cooling device.

Description of Related Art

A conventional cooling system includes a tank and a pump fortransferring a refrigerant (for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No.2005-129812).

However, in a conventional cooling system, there are cases in which anamount of refrigerant decreases with use of the cooling system, and airenters a pump chamber. When air enters a pump chamber and a pump isdriven in a space with a small amount of refrigerant, there is apossibility that a circulation amount of the refrigerant will decrease,and a cooling efficiency of the cooling system will decrease.

The present disclosure suppresses a decrease in cooling efficiency of acooling system even when an amount of refrigerant in a cooling systemhas decreased.

SUMMARY

A cooling device according to one embodiment of the disclosure includesa cooling unit. The cooling unit includes a cold plate which extends ina first direction, a pump and a tank which are disposed on one side in asecond direction perpendicular to the first direction of the cold plate,and a partition member which extends in the first direction and coversthe cold plate on one side in the second direction. The cold plateincludes a first refrigerant flow path through which a refrigerant flowsfrom one side to the other side in the first direction. The pumpincludes a pump chamber in which a rotating body which transfers therefrigerant is accommodated. The tank includes a tank chamber whichstores the refrigerant and a first tank hole part which communicateswith the pump chamber. The partition member includes a first hole partwhich communicates the first refrigerant flow path and the tank chamber,and the first tank hole part is provided on one side in the firstdirection with respect to the first hole part.

According to the cooling device according to an exemplary embodiment ofthe present disclosure, a decrease in cooling efficiency of the coolingdevice can be prevented.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a cooling unit according to anexemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a cooling device according to theexemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure will bedescribed with reference to the drawings. In the present disclosure, adirection of gravity is referred to as a first direction. A direction inwhich gravity is applied is referred to as “one side in the firstdirection,” and a direction opposite to one side in the first directionis referred to as “the other side in the first direction.” A directionperpendicular to the first direction is referred to as a seconddirection. A side on which a tank is disposed with respect to a coldplate is referred to as “one side in the second direction,” and asurface side of the cold plate opposite to that on which the tank isdisposed, that is, a side on which a heat generating component isdisposed is referred to as “the other side in the second direction.” Adirection perpendicular to the first direction and the second directionis referred to as a “third direction,” based on which shapes andpositional relationships between respective parts will be described.

Also, in the present disclosure, a “parallel direction” includes asubstantially parallel direction. Further, in the present disclosure, a“perpendicular direction” includes a substantially perpendiculardirection.

EMBODIMENT

A cooling unit 2 according to an exemplary embodiment of the presentdisclosure will be described. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of thecooling unit 2 according to the exemplary embodiment of the presentdisclosure. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a cooling device 1 accordingto the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

The cooling device 1 includes the cooling unit 2, a radiator 70, and aconnection pipe 80.

The cooling unit 2 includes a cold plate 10, 10A, 10B, a tank 11, 11A,11B, a pump 12, 12A, 12B, and a partition member 60. The tank 11 and thepump 12 are disposed on one side in the second direction of the coldplate 10. The partition member 60 is disposed between the cold plate 10and the tank 11 in the second direction.

<Cold Plate>

The cold plate 10 is made of a metal having high thermal conductivitysuch as copper or aluminum and has a rectangular plate shape extendingin the first direction. Further, the cold plate 10 of the presentembodiment has a quadrangular shape when viewed from the seconddirection but is not limited thereto, and may have, for example, apolygonal shape having a plurality of corners or a circular shape whenviewed from the second direction. A heat generating component 30 isdisposed on the other side in the second direction of the cold plate 10.

The cold plate 10 includes a first refrigerant flow path 21 throughwhich a refrigerant flows on a surface on one side in the seconddirection. The first refrigerant flow path 21 is a space formed by asurface of the partition member 60, to be described below, on the otherside in the second direction and a surface of the cold plate 10 on oneside in the second direction. A plurality of blades 211 extending in thethird direction and disposed side by side parallel to each other in thefirst direction is provided in the first refrigerant flow path 21.

The refrigerant in the present embodiment is a liquid, and for example,an antifreeze such as an ethylene glycol aqueous solution or a propyleneglycol aqueous solution, pure water, or the like is used.

<Pump>

The cooling unit 2 includes a pump 12 that transfers the refrigerant. Inthe present embodiment, the pump 12 is a centrifugal-type pump andincludes a pump chamber 40 through which the refrigerant flows. The pumpchamber 40 is disposed on the other side in the second direction of amotor (not illustrated) to be described below. An impeller (notillustrated) which is a rotating body capable of transferring therefrigerant is disposed in the pump chamber 40.

The pump chamber 40 includes a suction port 411 and a discharge port412. The suction port 411 is provided on an end surface of the tankchamber 50 on the other side in the second direction and communicateswith a first tank hole part 16 of the tank chamber 40 to be describedbelow. The discharge port 412 communicates with a second tank hole part17 to be described below. In the present embodiment, the discharge port412 and the second tank hole part 17 are connected through theconnection pipe 80 and the radiator 70.

The impeller of the pump 12 is supported to be rotatable around acentral axis extending in the second direction and is connected to arotating shaft of the motor. The impeller rotates due to driving of themotor, and thereby the refrigerant flowing into the pump chamber 40 fromthe suction port 411 is discharged from the discharge port 412.

<Tank>

The cooling unit 2 includes the tank 11. The tank 11 is substantially acuboid and is formed of a resin material. The tank 11 can be easilyformed compared to a case in which the tank 11 is formed of a metal.Then, even in an environment in which moisture or the like adheresthereto, rusting of a surface of the tank 11 can be suppressed. The tank11 includes a tank chamber 50 in which the refrigerant that has flowedin accumulates. The tank chamber 50 is a recessed part formed by thetank 11 being recessed toward one side in the second direction. The tankchamber 50 is substantially a cuboid. When the cooling unit 2 includesthe tank chamber 50, an amount of refrigerant circulating in the coolingdevice 1 can be increased. A decrease in cooling efficiency of thecooling device 1 can be suppressed by increasing the amount ofrefrigerant circulating in the cooling device 1.

The tank 11 includes the first tank hole part 16 and the second tankhole part 17. In the present embodiment, the first tank hole part 16extends in the second direction. The first tank hole part 16communicates with the suction port 411 of the pump 12. In the presentembodiment, the first tank hole part 16 and the suction port 411communicate with each other in the second direction. A portion of thesecond tank hole part 17 extends in the second direction. The secondtank hole part 17 is connected to the discharge port 412 of the pumpdirectly or indirectly.

In the present embodiment, the pump 12 and the tank 11 are disposedadjacent to each other. Specifically, the tank 11 includes a notch part14, 14A, 14B in which a side surface is cut out, and at least a portionof the pump 12 is disposed in the notch part 14. The cooling unit 2 canbe reduced in size by disposing the pump 12 in the notch part 14.

<Partition Member>

The cooling unit 2 includes the partition member 60. The partitionmember 60 extends in the first direction and is disposed between thetank 11 and the cold plate 10 in the second direction. Specifically, thepartition member 60 closes an opening of the recessed part that formsthe tank chamber 50. The tank chamber 50 is formed by an inner surfaceof the recessed part of the tank 11 and a surface of the partitionmember 60 on one side in the second direction.

The partition member 60 includes a first hole part 601 and a second holepart 602 that penetrate therethrough in the second direction. The secondhole part 602 is provided on one side in the first direction withrespect to the first hole part 601. An end portion of the second holepart 602 on one side in the second direction communicates with thesecond tank hole part 17. The second tank hole part 17 is connected tothe pump chamber 40 directly or indirectly. An end portion of the secondhole part 602 on the other side in the second direction communicateswith the first refrigerant flow path 21. An end portion of the firsthole part 601 on one side in the second direction communicates with thetank chamber 50. An end portion of the first hole part 601 on the otherside in the second direction communicates with the first refrigerantflow path 21. The refrigerant discharged from the pump chamber 40 passesthrough the second tank hole part 17 and then passes through the secondhole part 602. The refrigerant that has passed through the second holepart 602 flows into the first refrigerant flow path 21. The refrigerantthat has flowed into the first refrigerant flow path 21 flows into thetank chamber 50 through the first hole part 601. The refrigerant thathas flowed into the tank chamber 50 passes through the first tank holepart 16 and is suctioned into the pump chamber 40 from the suction port411.

<Cover Member>

The cooling unit 2 further includes a cover member (not illustrated).The cover member is made of a material such as, for example, silicon.The cover member is disposed between the partition member 60 and thecold plate 10 in the second direction. The cover member has a hole (notillustrated) penetrating in the second direction and configured to alignand communicate with the second hole part 602 in the second direction.The cover member is attached to a groove part (not illustrated) recessedto one side in the second direction of the partition member 60. Thecover member covers one side in the second direction of the plurality ofblades 211 of the cold plate 10. Specifically, a surface of the covermember on the other side in the second direction is in contact with endportions of the plurality of blades 211 of the cold plate 10 on one sidein the second direction. When the cover member is in contact with theend portions of the plurality of blades 211 on one side in the seconddirection, the refrigerant can be suppressed from flowing on one side inthe second direction of the blades 211, and the refrigerant can flowbetween the blades 211. When the refrigerant flows through gaps in thefirst direction of the plurality of blades 211 in the third direction,heat that has been transmitted from the heat generating component 30 tothe blades 211 can be efficiently transmitted to the refrigerant.

<Radiator>

The cooling device 1 further includes the radiator 70. The radiator 70includes a plurality of fins 71 for cooling and a pipe 72. The fins 71are formed on a flat plate and stand upward in the second direction. Theplurality of fins 71 is disposed parallel to each other at equalintervals. The pipe 72 is inserted into holes (not illustrated) of theplurality of fins 71 and fixed to the plurality of fins 71 by welding.At this time, a direction in which the pipe 72 extends and a directionin which the fins 71 extend are perpendicular to each other. The pipe 72has a hollow inside and thus forms a pipe flow path 721 through whichthe refrigerant passes. In the present embodiment, the pipe flow path721 extends in the first direction. An end portion of the pipe flow path721 on the other side in the first direction is connected to the secondtank hole part 17 directly or indirectly. An end portion of the pipeflow path 721 on one side in the first direction communicates with thedischarge port 412 directly or indirectly. As will be described below,the end portion of the pipe flow path 721 on the other side in the firstdirection may be connected to the second tank hole part 17 through, forexample, the connection pipe 80. The end portion of the pipe flow path721 on one side in the first direction may be connected to the dischargeport 412 through, for example, the connection pipe 80. Also, a pluralityof pipe flow paths 721 may be disposed in the first direction.

The cooling device 1 further includes the connection pipe 80. Theconnection pipe 80 has a hollow inside and is formed as an elastic bodyof such as, for example, a rubber. The refrigerant flows inside theconnection pipe 80. The connection pipe 80 connects the pump 12 and theradiator 70. Specifically, one end of the connection pipe 80communicates with the end portion of the pipe flow path 721 on one sidein the first direction, and the other end of the connection pipe 80communicates with the discharge port 412. The connection pipe 80connects the tank 11 and the radiator 70. Specifically, the other end ofthe connection pipe 80 is connected to the end portion of the pipe flowpath 721 on the other side in the first direction, and one end of theconnection pipe 80 is connected to the second tank hole part 17.

(Operation of Cooling Device)

The pump 12 is driven with the heat generating component 30 to be cooledsuch as, for example, a central processing unit (CPU) brought intocontact with a surface of the cold plate 10 on the other side in thesecond direction. Thereby, the refrigerant circulates in the order ofthe first refrigerant flow path 21, the tank chamber 50, the pumpchamber 40, and the pipe flow path 721. Heat generated by the heatgenerating component 30 is transmitted to the cold plate 10. The heattransmitted to the cold plate 10 is transferred to the refrigerantflowing through the first refrigerant flow path 21. Thereby, heatdissipation of the refrigerant is performed via the radiator 70, and atemperature rise in the heat generating component 30 can be suppressed.

The first tank hole part 16 of the tank chamber 50 is disposed on oneside in the first direction with respect to the first hole part 601.

The pump chamber 40 may be filled with a refrigerant. Air that hasentered the cooling device 1 circulates in the cooling device 1 togetherwith the refrigerant. Specifically, the air that has entered the pumpchamber 40 is pushed out by the impeller, passes through the pipe flowpath 721 of the radiator 70, and enters the first refrigerant flow path21 of the cold plate 10. The air that has entered the first refrigerantflow path 21 moves in the first refrigerant flow path 21 from one sidein the first direction to the other side in the first direction andenters the tank chamber 50 through the first hole part 601. The air thathas entered the tank chamber 50 does not move to one side in the firstdirection but remains at an end portion of the tank chamber 50 on theother side in the first direction. Accordingly, when the first tank holepart 16 is disposed on one side in the first direction with respect tothe first hole part 601, the air can be suppressed from entering thepump chamber 40 from the suction port 411. Therefore, a decrease incooling efficiency of the cooling device 1 can be suppressed.

The tank chamber 50 further includes a tank recess part 55. The tankrecess part 55 has a recessed shape that is recessed on one side in thesecond direction and is substantially a cuboid. The tank recess part 55is a space that is further recessed on one side in the second directionwith respect to the tank chamber 50. The tank recess part 55 may bedisposed on the other side in the first direction with respect to thefirst hole part 601. When the tank recess part 55 is disposed on theother side in the first direction with respect to the first hole part601, the air flowing into the tank chamber 50 from the first hole part601 and moving to the other side in the first direction can be stored inthe tank recess part 55. When the tank chamber 50 further includes thetank recess part 55, an allowable volume in which air is able to bestored is increased, and a decrease in cooling efficiency of the coolingdevice 1 can be further suppressed.

In the present embodiment, the tank recess part 55 has been described assubstantially a cuboid but is not limited thereto.

In the present embodiment, the first hole part 601 extends parallel tothe second direction but is not limited thereto. For example, the firsthole part 601 may extend from the other side in the second directiontoward one side in the second direction and from one side in the firstdirection toward the other side in the first direction. That is, whenthe refrigerant passing through the first hole part 601 is transferredto the other side in the first direction, the air that has passedthrough the first hole part 601 can smoothly move to the other side inthe first direction of the tank chamber 50.

A plurality of cooling units 2 may be provided. FIG. 2 is a perspectiveview of a plurality of cooling units 2A and 2B.

The cooling units 2A and 2B have the same configuration and the samesize. The cooling units 2A and 2B of the present embodiment are disposedto be aligned in the third direction.

The cooling units 2A and 2B are connected in series via connection pipes(80 a, 80 b, and 80 c) and the radiator 70. Specifically, a dischargeport 412A of a pump 12A is connected to an end portion of the pipe flowpath 721 of the radiator 70 on one side in the first direction throughthe connection pipe 80 a. An end portion of the pipe flow path 721 onthe other side in the first direction is connected to the second tankhole part 17B through the connection pipe 80 b. A discharge port 412B ofthe cooling unit 2B is connected to a second tank hole part 17A throughthe connection pipe 80 c. Therefore, the refrigerant circulates in thecooling device 1. When a plurality of cooling units is provided, aplurality of heat radiation components can be cooled while a decrease incooling efficiency of the cooling device 1 can be suppressed.

(Other)

The embodiment described above is merely an example of the presentdisclosure. Configurations of the embodiment may be changed asappropriate without departing from the technical spirit of the presentdisclosure. Also, the embodiments may be implemented in combinationwithin a possible range.

In the above-described embodiment, a centrifugal-type pump has beenused, but a diaphragm-type pump, a cascade-type pump, or the like mayalso be used.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variousmodifications and variations can be made to the disclosed embodimentswithout departing from the scope or spirit of the disclosure. In view ofthe foregoing, it is intended that the disclosure covers modificationsand variations provided that they fall within the scope of the followingclaims and their equivalents.

What is claimed is:
 1. A cooling device comprising: a cooling unit,wherein the cooling unit includes: a cold plate which extends in a firstdirection; a pump and a tank which are disposed on one side in a seconddirection perpendicular to the first direction of the cold plate; and apartition member which extends in the first direction and covers thecold plate on one side in the second direction, the cold plate includesa first refrigerant flow path through which a refrigerant flows from oneside to the other side in the first direction, the pump includes a pumpchamber in which an impeller which is a rotating body and transfers therefrigerant is accommodated, the tank includes a tank chamber whichstores the refrigerant and a first tank hole part which communicateswith the pump chamber, the partition member includes a first hole partwhich communicates the first refrigerant flow path and the tank chamber,and the first tank hole part is provided on one side in the firstdirection with respect to the first hole part, the tank chamber includesa tank recess part, and the one side in the first direction is referredto a direction in which gravity is applied.
 2. The cooling deviceaccording to claim 1, wherein the tank recess part is a space that isfurther recessed on one side in the second direction with respect to thetank chamber, and the one side in the second direction is referred to aside on which the tank is disposed with respect to the cold plate. 3.The cooling device according to claim 1, wherein the tank recess part isdisposed on the other side in the first direction with respect to thefirst tank hole part.